


Unfogging the Future

by Greenschist



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-03
Updated: 2010-03-03
Packaged: 2017-10-07 17:04:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/67217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Greenschist/pseuds/Greenschist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She is the only Slytherin to opt for a second year of Divination.  Snape sneers, Daphne mocks, but Astoria has a plan to get Draco's help creating bogus dreams for her diary and ignores everything else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unfogging the Future

Astoria's mother, the third daughter of a third daughter, has some small talent for "the gift" and encouraged both her daughters to take Divination.

Astoria does not really believe in that sort of thing, but she watched with interest when Daphne, Draco, and their classmates gathered together, laughing over their Divination homework. She imagined herself amongst them, easily usurping Parkinson's place beside Draco, and she promised herself her fantasy would become a reality.

Of course, by the time Astoria's old enough for Divination, Daphne's class has abandoned it. She signs up anyway to make her mother happy and figures she will drop it after a year.

It is a surprise to discover a natural affinity for the subject.

In Trelawney's smoky classroom, Astoria swirls leaf dragons around her teacups and gazes avidly into her crystal ball hoping to clearly see the figure within. He is blond; she's convinced of that much. At night, behind her bed curtains, she traces her love line, secretly happy with its length and depth. "You'll fall in love young and marry well," Trelawney declares, and Astoria thinks of Draco and hopes the old bat is right.

She enjoys Divination until the dream diary assignment. Astoria does not usually remember her dreams, and she does not need help to interpret dreams about being naked in the Great Hall or late for Transfiguration. When Draco overhears her asking Daphne if there is a potion that's the opposite of Dreamless Sleep, he stops polishing his Inquisitorial Squad badge long enough to ruffle her hair and tell her to make something up like everyone else. It goes against the grain—Astoria is honest academically, if nowhere else—but she takes his advice and fills page after page with fake dreams about falling into wells or eating bowls of Knuts.

She is the only Slytherin to opt for a second year of Divination. Snape sneers, Daphne mocks, but Astoria has a plan to get Draco's help creating bogus dreams for her diary and ignores everything else.

Unfortunately, Draco avoids the common room that year, as he avoids the library and everywhere else Astoria can think to look for him. Her diary is thick with lies when, as the school year is almost done, she has a terrible dream.

She dreams of a red rose drowning in saltwater. Before she can intervene, a glittering blade appears from nowhere and slashes the rose to pieces. "Someone you love is in mortal danger," Trelawney says, breath sherry-sweet. Concerned, Astoria writes to her parents and urges Daphne to be careful. If her dream prevents a tragedy, she vows to pursue Divination all the way to N.E.W.T. level.

Two days later, Slytherin is abuzz with the news that Potter tried to murder Draco in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom with some sort of severing hex. When released from Pomfrey's care, he is white-faced and silent. Astoria can't find her own voice, not even to say hello.

She burns her dream diary and asks Snape for help withdrawing from Divination. That night, behind her curtains, she takes Dreamless Sleep. She never wants to dream again.


End file.
